Today we’d like to introduce you to Grant Miller
Hi Grant, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
I couldn’t afford a van, but I wanted to live a life of adventure. So, I set out to build a sleeping platform in the back of my Subaru Outback one summer while living in Yosemite National Park.
I had never built anything like this before, but once completed, my humble sleeping platform proved adventure-worthy, and I drove around the country, sleeping in the comfort of my SUV.
And the crazy thing was that whenever I opened up my trunk, people would walk up to me and ask me where they could buy one for their SUV. This gave me the idea to bring my concept to the market to help more people sleep great in their vehicle.
I went to the drawing board and set out to improve the design. The idea was a bed that folded up entirely into the trunk when not in use. That way, you don’t have to drive around with a permanent bed in the back of your car.
Several dozen iterations later, TrunkMate was born with a mission to allow people without a van to travel on their terms and sleep great in their personal vehicle.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I didn’t go to business school, and I am not a carpenter by trade, so the journey has been anything but smooth. I knew I needed a warehouse and a CNC router, but didn’t know anything else. After some research, I discovered a makerspace called Urban Workshop in Costa Mesa that had all the equipment and training I’d need to get started, so I relocated to Orange County in the middle of a Covid 19 pandemic and set up shop.
Another early challenge was learning how to market the product. What we’re doing is really quite a new concept, so there’s no clearly defined path to get in front of the right customers. Thankfully, demand for this kind of product is high, and people started finding us.
One setback we dealt with was figuring out how to ship the sleeping platforms without them breaking in transit. We tried everything from shipping the kits flatpack (like Ikea furniture) to shipping them via freight truck. But eventually we were able to dial in the packaging enough to be able to offer free shipping in the US!
An ongoing challenge has been learning how to scale, including hiring and training a team. As demand for the product grew, I couldn’t handle the production by myself. So, I put out ads and got to work hiring a team. This has been truly rewarding and has made me wonder how I ever managed without them.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business?
TrunkMate is a leading provider of innovative car camping solutions, specializing in SUV camper conversion kits and sleeping platforms. Founded in 2021 by Grant Miller in California, TrunkMate’s mission is to make it easy for anyone with an SUV or minivan to sleep in the comfort and safety of their vehicle. Our revolutionary sleeping platforms fit in any vehicle and unfold easily to convert your car into a camper. Crafted with precision in the USA, our lightweight sleeping platforms require no vehicle modifications and can be lifted and set up by one person in under a minute. We are customer-centric and innovative, constantly challenging the status quo and pushing the bar forward. Because of this, we have earned the trust of hundreds of extremely satisfied customers. Whether venturing on a weekend getaway or a cross-country adventure, TrunkMate promises unparalleled comfort and convenience. Join our community of outdoor enthusiasts today and experience the difference for yourself. Shop now!
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out.
If you have a dream but are waiting for the right moment to get started, don’t wait. The right moment doesn’t exist. Start today and treat every day as an opportunity to learn. Don’t focus on the outcome, just the effort. It may not work out in the end, but you’ll learn a lot along the way. And that knowledge is transferable to every part of your life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://trunk-mate.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trunkmate.usa/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trunkM8
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpJ9o-5HlmTNU3qnFfY1spw
